FEATURED LUXURY HOME OF THE WEEK: MAYBE THE BEST VIEW IN TOWN

Wilmington, NC- Step out onto the balcony at 18 South Water Street in downtown Wilmington and you will experience a view like nothing else in the area. It feels almost as if you’re walking on water. The mezzanine juts out from the building and hangs directly over the Cape Fear River. “I think it’s the best view in town,” says seller’s listing agent Will Musselwhite.

There are a lot of properties in downtown Wilmington located near the river. The difference is South 18 Water Street is on the river- literally “ON” the river. The red brick building is on pilings that run to the bedrock of the Cape Fear.

The reason for the unique location is almost a century old. Just look at the white stencil sign that still appears on the side of the building “JW Brooks Grocery Warehouse.” The warehouse opened in 1920. John Wesley Brooks, a Brunswick County native, was the owner and operator. Back in those days ships and trains would pull up to the location and would either drop off, or pick up, food and produce. The business’ main export was a flour called “The Belle of Wilmington.”

Brooks died in 1937. His wife and sons ran the business until the late 70’s. They sold the
building to a tug boat company, which occupied the location for about a decade. When they left, the building sat vacant until the late 90’s when it was purchased by Gene Merritt and Gene Stradar. Their plan was to redevelop the location into Condominiums. The first of the units was sold in 1998.

The gem of the redevelopment is Unit 6, a three-bedroom, 3.5 bath, two-story condo. The property was listed by its current owners last week. It offers an open floor concept with hardwood floors, exposed bricks, and rustic wooden beams. The kitchen has been updated with granite countertops and copper backsplash. All three bedrooms are located on the third floor of the building, each with its own bathroom.

“There are a lot of places downtown that are within walking distance to everything,” says Musselwhite. “And there are some places that have great views. This is the rare combination of both. The unit has 27 windows! It is absolutely the ideal location.”

The outline in white shows exactly the section of the building that is for sale. It spans more than 2,400 square feet. The asking price is $750,000. The current owners are the third family to occupy the unit since it was converted into condominiums.

“To me the most beautiful part of this property,” said Kathleen Baylies of Just For Buyers Realty, “Is how the brick walls and the wood ceiling come together on the first floor. You find yourself staring at the craftsmanship and then out of the corner of your eye you see a ship go sailing by. That’s the type of wow factor you don’t find every day.”

• The address falls into the Snipes, Williston, New Hanover High School district
• Annual HOA fees total $14,348.
• No off street parking

This report is presented by the team at Just For Buyers Realty. As the name implies, Just For Buyers Realty serves only buyers. In a state where buyers purchase real estate at their own risk, the company’s mission is to serve as Superheroes for Buyers. Since we don’t represent sellers or homes, we are in a unique and unbiased position to report on the current state of the tri-county area’s housing market. This list is somewhat objective, taking into account variables like price per square foot. But, it is also subjective, factoring in our team of experts’ judgment calls on which properties they believe represent the best bang for the buck. While not everyone may agree with our choices, to be sure, you can be certain our opinions are independent since we do not represent these properties or have a vested interest in their sale. Contact Just For Buyers Realty by calling 910-202-4813 or e-mailing info@JustForBuyersRealty.com, or visit www.JustForBuyersRealty.com